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Blind Alley

  • 19391939
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 9m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
747
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Joan Perry in Blind Alley (1939)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
Gangster Hal Wilson takes psychiatrist Dr. Shelby hostage. While captive, the doctor analyzes Wilson as though he were a patient.Gangster Hal Wilson takes psychiatrist Dr. Shelby hostage. While captive, the doctor analyzes Wilson as though he were a patient.Gangster Hal Wilson takes psychiatrist Dr. Shelby hostage. While captive, the doctor analyzes Wilson as though he were a patient.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
747
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Charles Vidor
  • Writers
    • Philip MacDonald(screen play)
    • Michael Blankfort(screen play)
    • Albert Duffy(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Chester Morris
    • Ralph Bellamy
    • Ann Dvorak
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles Vidor
  • Writers
    • Philip MacDonald(screen play)
    • Michael Blankfort(screen play)
    • Albert Duffy(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Chester Morris
    • Ralph Bellamy
    • Ann Dvorak
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 17User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos17

    Ralph Bellamy, Chester Morris, Joan Perry, and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ann Dvorak and Chester Morris in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Scotty Beckett, Chester Morris, and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ann Dvorak and Chester Morris in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Scotty Beckett, Melville Cooper, Ann Dvorak, Marc Lawrence, Chester Morris, Joan Perry, and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Joan Perry in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Joan Perry in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Rose Stradner in Blind Alley (1939)
    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, and Chester Morris in Blind Alley (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Chester Morris
    Chester Morris
    • Hal Wilsonas Hal Wilson
    Ralph Bellamy
    Ralph Bellamy
    • Dr. Shelbyas Dr. Shelby
    Ann Dvorak
    Ann Dvorak
    • Maryas Mary
    Joan Perry
    Joan Perry
    • Linda Curtisas Linda Curtis
    Melville Cooper
    Melville Cooper
    • George Curtisas George Curtis
    Rose Stradner
    Rose Stradner
    • Doris Shelbyas Doris Shelby
    John Eldredge
    John Eldredge
    • Dick Holbrookas Dick Holbrook
    • (as John Eldridge)
    Ann Doran
    Ann Doran
    • Agnesas Agnes
    Marc Lawrence
    Marc Lawrence
    • Buckas Buck
    Stanley Brown
    Stanley Brown
    • Fred Landisas Fred Landis
    Scotty Beckett
    Scotty Beckett
    • Davyas Davy
    Milburn Stone
    Milburn Stone
    • Nickas Nick
    Marie Blake
    Marie Blake
    • Harrietas Harriet
    Eddie Acuff
    Eddie Acuff
    • State Trooper Stopping Fredas State Trooper Stopping Fred
    • (uncredited)
    James Craig
    James Craig
    • Joeas Joe
    • (uncredited)
    Dick Curtis
    Dick Curtis
    • Trooper with Joeas Trooper with Joe
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Dunn
    Ralph Dunn
    • Trooper Croninas Trooper Cronin
    • (uncredited)
    John Hamilton
    John Hamilton
    • Wardenas Warden
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Charles Vidor
    • Writers
      • Philip MacDonald(screen play)
      • Michael Blankfort(screen play)
      • Albert Duffy(screen play)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was re-made as The Dark Past (1948). It starred Lee J. Cobb as the psychiatrist and William Holden as the killer.
    • Goofs
      The gangster's fingers are supposedly paralyzed, but when he pushes the "Insanity and the Criminal Mind" book back onto the shelf, you can clearly see him flick it into place with one of his "paralyzed" fingers.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Girls Who Like Girls (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Far Above Cayuga's Waters
      (ca 1870) (uncredited)

      (Cornell University's "Alma Mater")

      Music (from the song "Annie Lisle") by H.S. Thompson (1857)

      Played during the opening scene

    User reviews17

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Killer Personality
    When I wrote a review of the remake of Blind Alley that starred William Holden I had not yet seen this nor had investigated the Broadway play from where this film came from. I've come to some interesting conclusions as a result.

    Chester Morris plays the killer role in Blind Alley which is a combination of The Petrified Forest and The Desperate Hours and the viewer will recognize parts of both those classics. Morris and his gang are on the run having just busted out of prison where they took the warden hostage and Morris kills him. He then takes refuge at the lakeside home of Ralph Bellamy and wife Rose Stradner who happen to be entertaining guests at the time.

    Bellamy is a psychiatrist who teaches and after Morris coldbloodedly murders Stanley Brown one of his students he thinks the only way to save his and everyone else's lives is to get into his head. Bellamy is a cool customer doing this, especially with friends and family's lives at stake.

    When Lee J. Cobb played the part of the psychiatrist in The Dark Past he was detached almost clinical in the way he probed at Holden. Bellamy is not looking at this as an experiment and now having seen both films I can say Bellamy's interpretation was superior.

    Blind Alley originated as a play on Broadway by James Warwick with a 119 performance run in the 1935-36 season. Looking at that cast I saw that George Coulouris played the psychiatrist and this is one instance where we are so unfortunate that he did not do either movie version. Coulouris would really have been special in the part.

    This film is a real sleeper from Columbia Pictures, don't miss it if ever broadcast again.
    helpful•4
    0
    • bkoganbing
    • Aug 10, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 11, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rejas humanas
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Ralph Bellamy, Ann Dvorak, Chester Morris, and Joan Perry in Blind Alley (1939)
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    By what name was Blind Alley (1939) officially released in Canada in English?
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